Stray Bullets
The Stray Bullets podcast, hosted by E.S. Haggan, frequently discusses the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), often drawing on Haggan's experiences as a former RUC/PSNI officer.
The podcast delves into various aspects of the RUC, including:
- The Troubles: Haggan openly addresses policing during the Troubles, including religion, politics, sectarianism, and related ideologies.
- Collusion: Episodes explore allegations of RUC collusion with loyalist paramilitaries and related inquiries like the Stevens Inquiries.
- Catholic officers: The podcast examines the experiences of Catholic police officers within the RUC and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), highlighting challenges like isolation, sectarianism, and racism.
- Specific incidents: Haggan discusses specific events and atrocities related to the Troubles, using his novel "The Bitter End of Dreams" as a framework to explore these topics while avoiding potential libel.
The podcast provides a unique perspective on the RUC and the Troubles, informed by Haggan's personal experiences and detailed discussions of his novel.
'There are no facts, only interpretations.'
Friedrich Nietzsche
Stray Bullets
Belfast: A Tale of Two Cities. Part One
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode I'm looking at how Troubles era Belfast has been represented in fiction. I'll be providing some thoughts and examples of such. Another aspect I touch on is that of 'The Other', which gives me an opportunity to recite some Heaney, too.
In Part Two - which will form Stray Bullets episode 3 - I'll be talking about my observations and thoughts on the tribalism, sectarianism and totems which I encountered during my service in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and, latterly, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, from the mid-1980s.
My novel The Bitter End of Dreams is still available via Amazon and you can send me any feedback etc at Twitter: @redbrickedslums
Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.
